Knitting machines



Feb. 3, 1970 BLOOD ETAL 3,492,836

' KNITTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 20, 1965' 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mil/7M BEA72E) .F b. 3, 19 10 R. BLOOD m1. 3,492,836

' KNITTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 20, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 mum/rues 60mm;54 00 mam/u 561026) Feb. 3, 1970 R. BLOOD ETAL 3,492,836

KNITTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 20, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 SUPPLY Feb. 3,1970 R. BLOOD ETA!- 3,492,836

KNITTING MACHINES FiledAug. 20, 1965 e Sheets- Sheet 5 KNITTING MACHINESFiled Aug. 20, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG INVENTORS RAYMOND BLOOD,WILLIAM BENTLEY United States Patent 3,492,836 KNITTING MACHINES RaymondBlood, Shepshed, and William Bentley, Loughborough, England, assignorsto William Cotton Limited Filed Aug. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 481,212

Claims priority, application Great Britain, Aug. 21, 1964,

Int. Cl. DtMb 27/08 U.S. Cl. 66-5 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Astraight bar knitting machine having needles with a series of butts, andsliders between sinkers and controlled by droppers having a series ofbutts, each series of butts being under selective control of rows ofselecting sliders, in a. channel frame bar, and which may have variouslength butts, through the medium of electric program controlledelectro-magnets in the frame bar, and which may be staggered, forphysical magnetic engagement with the selecting sliders, saidelectro-niagnets being carried by cam operated lever means for movingthe electromagnets to carry the selecting sliders positively to and fromthe butts.

This invention is for improvements in or relating to knitting machinesand concerns the selective control of instruments such as needles,transfer points, beard pressing sliders, and the like as referred to inour US. patent application, Ser. No. 448,115, Patent No. 3,370,443 andUS. Patent No. 3,292,395.

One problem in the provision of selecting control mechanism is theshortage of space for accommodating the mechanism, and when providingelectro-magnetic solenoids as disclosed in said patents there arises afurther problem of providing for the control to be sufi'lcientlypositive, since reliance has to be placed on electro-magnetic fields toobtain the required movements.

An object of the invention is to solve these problems.

The invention provides in a knitting machine, a series of instrumentssuch as needles, transfer points, beard presser elements or controldroppers therefor, and the like, having butts, a series of selectingsliders adapted for controlling association with the butts, and a seriesof electro-magnets adapted for controlling the selecting sliders andwhich can be operated selectively from an electric programme device.Conveniently the selecting sliders are advanced to the instruments whensecured magnetically to the selecting electro-magnets all of which aremechanically reciprocated, those selecting sliders not beingmagnetically attached to the non-selecting magnets remaining in idleposition. Conveniently the selecting sliders have butts at the rear ofthe magets so that the advanced selecting sliders are returnedmechanically by the mechanical return of the magnets. The butts of theselecting sliders are conveniently reinforced where they are contactedby the magnets, and the magnets are conveniently in a staggeredarrangement to register with the selecting slider butts at differentlevels due to the shortage of space lengthwise of the series ofselecting sliders. There may be two banks of the selecting sliders andassociated magnets at different levels for controlling instruments atdifferent heights for different patterning purposes.

The above and other features of the invention set out in the appendedclaims are incorporated in the construction which will now be describedas a specific embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings inwhich:

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FIGURE 1 is a general sectional view of a Cottons patent straight barknitting machine having magnetic control means according to theinvention.

FIGURE 2 is a front view of two sections of the machine.

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of part of the machineillustrating the magnetic control means.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged or perspective view of part of the magneticcontrol means.

FIGURE 5 is a further enlarged perspective view of part of the magneticcontrol means in one arrangement.

FIGURE 6 is a similar view to FIGURE 5 in another arrangement.

FIGURE 7 is an electric circuit diagram for the magnetic control means.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged cross sectional view showing a modified form ofmagnetic control means.

FIGURE 9 is a diagrammatic detail of the arrangement of magnets in themodified magnetic control means.

FIGURE 10 is a further enlarged detail of a butt part of a controlslider of the magnetic control means.

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged detailed view of the needle mounting operatingand control means of FIGURE 1.

Referring to FIGURE 1 the machine is in the main substantially asdisclosed in US. Patent No. 3,370,443 and US. Patent No. 3,292,395.Briefly it has a row of beaded frame needles indicated at 1 which arefrictionally mounted in slots in the frame needle bar 2 and which havelower butts 1a. The needle bar 2 has usual knitting movements impartedto it by usual cam operated mechanism comprising an arm connection 3 toa cam follower lever 4 having a cam follower 5 engaging a cam 6 on themachines main cam shaft 7, and also comprising arm connection 8 to ahand lever 9 which is releasably connected by pin and slot connection 10to a cam follower lever 11 having a cam follower 12 engaging a cam 13 onthe shaft 7.

Usual sinkers are shown at 14 mounted in the usual sinker bar 15 whichis secured to a frame bar 16 of the machine.

The machine in the example shown is also provided with a row ofhorizontal sliders 17 mounted in alongside the sinkers 14 in the sinkerbar 15 substantially as and for the purpose disclosed in US. Patent No.3,370,443 and US. Patent No. 3,292,395 of selectively controllingoperation of the needles for patterning. Reference is directed to saidpatents for full details of the construction and operation. Insofar asthe present invention is concerned it is necessary only to explain thatthe sliders 17 have rear butts 18 and further rear butts 19, the butts18 being under control of a row of droppers 20 having lower butts 21 tobe raised and lowered by vertical movements of the droppers 20 into andout of operative registry with the rear butts 18, and the other rearbutts 19 being under control of a bar 22 which is displaceable forwardlyand rearwardly to permit forward advance of selected sliders, followinga selecting operation, through the intermediary of lowered droppers andto return the advanced sliders ready for a next selecting operation. Aselecting operation follows raising of lowered droppers, by movement ofa bar 24, to the upper inoperative level whereat upper butts such as 23thereon are at a high level so that at this stage all the droppers areheld raised by the bar 24. The bar 24 is secured for arcuate movement ona bushing 25 on a shaft 26- and the bushing is rotatably displaced onthe shaft 26 by a toggle device indicated generally at 27 which isoperable by a link 28 connected to one arm 29 of a bell crank device theother 0 arm 30 of which is connected by a link 31 to a cam fol- It willbe understood that the needlebar 2 and the dropper bar 24 are operatedonce per course by their associated cams since the shaft 7 has the usualone revolution per knitting cycle of the machine.

In the instance of the needles 1 it is required, for patterning by floatstitching, as disclosed in said U.S. Patent No. 3,292,395, and US.Patent No. 3,370,443 that the needles be selectively controlled so thatdifferent selections of the needles are held down at an inoperativeheight, while the remainder knit, in different courses.

In the instance of the droppers 20, it is required, for patterning bytuck stitching, as disclosed in said U.S. Patent No. 3,292,395 and US.Patent No. 3,370,443 that the droppers and consequently the sliders andneedles, be selectively controlled so that different selections of theneedles have their beards unpressed by their sliders for tucking, whilethe remainder have their beards pressed by their sliders for knitting,in different courses.

For these selecting purposes the needle and dropper butts 1a, 23 areunder control of electromagnetic control means.

Dealing first with the needles 1, with particular reference to FIGURE11, the electro-magnetic control means comprises a casing in the form ofa stationary slotted guide bar and comprising an inverted upper channelbar 35 secured to the machine frame 16 by screws, a lower channel bar36, and an intermediate bar 37, all of which bars are releasably securedtogether by screws extending through portions 38 to 43 thereof.

Mounted in slots formed between the inverted upper channel bar 35 andthe intermediate bar 37, and between the latter and the lower channelbar 36, are upper and lower rows respectively of needle butt selectingsliders 51, 52. The upper sliders 51 have upstanding butts 53 and thelower sliders 52 have depending butts 54.

The position of the channel bars 35, 36 and sliders 51, 52 is oppositethe lower ends of the needles 1 and such that the sliders 51, 52 projectfrom the casing towards the needles for co-operation with the needlebutts 1a. Within this casing, as indicated by reference numerals 35, 36and 37, of FIG. 3 extends a channel-forming frame bar 44, see alsoFIGURE 6, having an upper channel part 45 provided by an upper bar 71and an intermediate bar 67 for an upper row of electro-magnets 46 havingcores 47 which register with said upstanding butts S3, and achannel-forming frame bar 44' having a lower channel part 48 provided byan intermediate bar 68 and a lower bar 72 for a lower row ofelectro-magnets 49 having cores 50 which register with said dependingbutts 54.

Although the electro-magnets are of small thickness, being composed ofthe cores 47, t and coil windings CW, of FIGURE 6, of substantiallyoblong cross section, the distance apart of successive cores is greaterthan the pitch of the needles. It is for this reason that theelectromagnets and sliders are provided in the two rows, and, as shownin FIGURE 6, the electro-magnets of the two rows are relativelystaggered, and as shown in FIGURE 4 the sliders of the two rows aresimilarly relatively staggered. Thus the upper sliders are disposed toco-operate with the needle butts of alternate needles and the lowersliders are disposed to co-operate with the needle butts of the otheralternate needles.

In addition the needle butts 1a of the alternate needles are at asuitable high level and the butts 1a of the other alternate needles areat a suitable lower level; conveniently the alternate needles areconsequently short needles and the other alternate needles are longneedles as shown in FIGURES 1 and 3.

The channel-forming frame bars 44 and 44' have end extensions 55, 57 and56, 58, respectively secured to its ends, FIGURE 3, secured to arms 59,60 extending upwardly from a rod 61 to which is fixed a cam followerlever 62 having a cam follower 63 engaging a cam 64 on the shaft 7.

Thus the electro-magnets are displaceable by the cam 64 displacing thechannel-forming bars 44 and 44 relative to the casing between anoperative position at the needle side of the casing 35, 36, 37, as shownin FIGURE 1, and an inoperative position at the opposite side of thecasing.

The electro-magnets are electrically wired by conducting wires 65, 66 tobanks of programming electric switches 157. These switches are part ofreader means and are staggered to co-operate individually with punchedchart feelers 158 having pegs 159 for co-operating with holes in aprogramming punched chart 160, the latter being racked by sutableratchet mechanism such as a ratchet wheel 16]. on a drum 162 supportingthe punched chart and a pawl 163 carried by a cam follower lever 164having a cam follower 165 engaging a cam 166 on the shaft 7.

The electric circuit for the electro-magnets 46, 49 and the switches 157is shown in FIGURE 7 and the electromagnets are commoned by electricalconductors ECl, EC2 extending through a pair of spaced bars 67, 68 ofthe channel-forming frame bars 44 and 44', respectively, see also FIGURE6.

FIGURE 6 also shows that each electro-magnet has side walls 69, 70, andthe bars 67, 68 and the opposite bars 71, 72 are formed with slots 73such that the electromagnets are mounted by sliding them in the slots,the edges of the side plates 69, 70 closely fitting against the sides ofsuccessive slots to locate the electro-magnets against lateral movement.

In use of the mechanism thus far described, the punched chart is set outwith an arrangement of rows of holes to suit a float stitch patternrequired. That is to say for any needle in any course that is requiredto be inoperative thereby casting off its yarn to form a float threadthere will be a corresponding hole in a corresponding course row ofholes in the punched chart. Thus for each course requiring floatstitches a required selection of the needles will be selected to beinoperative by holes in the punched chart causing appropriate of theswitches 157 to close thereby causing the associated electromagnets tobecome energized. The timing relationship between the racking of thepunched chart to make the selections and of the displacements of theelectro-magnets is determined by the cams 64-, 166 such that theelectro-magnets are energized when they are in their inoperative postionwhereat the core ends are adjacent the silder butts when the latter arefarthest away from the needles.

Then the cam 64 allows movement of the electromagnets, by spring bias onthe cam follower lever, towards the needles such that thoseelectro-magnets which are energized are magnetically gripped to theirassociated slider butts so as to carry their associated sliders withthem whereas the remaining non-energized electromagnets leave theirassociated sliders behind.

The timing of this movement in relation to the needle bars movement isdetermined by the cams 6 and 64 such that the selected advanced slidersproject into the path of the butts of their associated needles as thelatter rise from the knock over height. Thus these needles are held downat inoperative height by engagement of their butts under theirassociated sliders to form float threads whereas the remaining needlesrise and knit.

Before the needles next descend, cam 64 displaces the electro-magnetsback to their original position and in so doing the advanced sliders arereturned by the electromagnets pushing against the slider butts to theiroriginal position corresponding to that of the remaining sliders, andthe punched card is racked-on for the next selection and so on.

It will be seen that this arrangement is substantially positive sincethe electro-magnets are caused to be in magnetically gripped contactwith the slider butts for their advancement, whereas in the instance ofsolenoids reliance has to be undesirably placed on a magnetic field. Itis also possible to produce electromagnets of desirably smallerdimensions than those of solenoids thereby desirably ccupying lessspace.

Dealing now with the dropper arrangement for tuck patterning, there isprovided behind the droppers 20, FIGURE 1, upper and lower rows ofelectro-magnets 74, 75 which are of the same form as theelectro-magn-ets 46, and they are similarly mounted in channels 76, 77,FIGURES 3 and 5. The channels are formed by a channel-forming frame barcomprising an upper bar 78, a lower bar 79 and an intermediate bar 80which project from a back plate 81. The electro-magnets 74, 75 areelectrically connected in the electric circuit similarly to theelectromagnets 46 as shown in FIGURE 7 except that they are commoned byan electrical conductor EC3 extending through, the single intermediatebar 80.

The frame bar 78, 79, 80 FIGURE 3 is mounted on the upper ends of arms82, 82 which are secured to a rod 83 on which there is also a camfollower lever 84 which carries a cam follower 85 engaging a cam 86 onthe shaft 7 whereby the electro-magnets are displaceable between a rearinoperative position and an advanced operative position.

Just above the frame bars 78, 79 and 80, FIGURE 3, is a stationaryslotted guide bar 87 carried by end brackets 88 from a machine rail 89,and in underside slots 87a in the bar 87 is slidably mounted a row ofdropper butt selective sliders 90. Each slider 90 has a depending buttwhereof alternate ones 91 are short butts and the remainder 92 are longbutts, and the electromagnets 74, 75 are in staggered relationship asshown in FIGURES 3 and to correspond with the sliders long and shortbutts which are engaged by the cores of the electromagnets 74 and 75when the latter are moved by the cam 86 to a rear inoperative positionrelative to the stationary slotted guide bar 87.

The control sliders 90 are at a level just below the level of the upperbutts 23 on the droppers when the latter are in their upper inoperativeposition, and the timing relationship between the cams 66, 86 and 34 issuch that when a hole in the punched chart 60 causes closing of anelectric switch 57, its associated one of the electro-magnets 74, 75 isenergized, while the latter are in their rear position so that thisselected electromagnet is then in magnetic gripping contact with itsassociated control slider 90; then after the cam 34 has operated bar 24to hold all the droppers 20 in their upper position, the electro-magnetsare advanced by cam 86, to a front operative position relative to thestationary slotted guide bar 87, the selected electro-magnet carryingits associated control slider with it thereby to project the leading endof the slider to a position underneath the butt of its associateddropper 20. Consequently when next bar 24 is lowered, all those droppers20 which similarly have their associated sliders advanced under theirbutts, from holes in the punched chart, are held thereby in the upperinoperative position so that their associated sliders 17 are notoperated from cam 34 and the associated needle beards are not pressedwhereby tuck stiches are eventually formed on these needles.

During this time those droppers 20 which have lowered cause theirassociated sliders to be advanced from cam 34 whereby their associatedneedle beards are pressed for kniting by these needles.

Further motion of the claims 34, 66 and 86 causes return of the partsand a fresh selection to be made and so on.

FIGURE 8, in which the channel-forming frame bar 44 is not shown withclarity, illustrates the fact that if necessary the electromagnet coressuch as 46a to 46d may be staggered for example in groups of four, asshown in FIGURE 9, or groups of any other convenient number, and thecontrol sliders will then have an equivalent number of different sizesof butts in similar groups, such as the four heights of butts 53a to53d, to register respectively with the different cores.

FIGURE 10 illustrates tht if desired each control slider butt such as 53may have an enlargement 53 for better surface contact with itsassociated electro-magnet core.

It is to be understod that similar electro-magnetic control units tothose described may be employed with or without appropriate modificationfor controlling other machine instruments such for example as transferpoints.

It is also to be noted that the machine will generally be ofmulti-section type as represented in FIGURE 2 there being a plurality ofknitting sections such as the two sections 18, 28 illustrated. Eachsection will have its own electro-magnets as indicated at 46, 49 and 74,75 all programmed from the same programming means 57-66.

What we claim is:

1. A knitting machine having in combination, a needle bar, a series ofneedles frictionally mounted in said needle bar, a series of needlebutts on said needles, a sinker bar, a series of sinkers in said sinkerbar, a series of needle control sliders in said sinker bar, a series ofslider con trolling droppers, a series of dropper butts on saiddroppers, first and second channel forming frame bar means, each saidframe bar means having upper, lower, and intermediate bars spaced ashort distance from each other and each formed with a series of slots,first and second series of selecting sliders in said first and secondframe bars for control of said needle butts and said dropper buttsrespectively, spaced plates disposed with upper and lower edges thereofin said slots with narrow spaces between them, first and second seriesof electric programme controlled electro-magnets disposed in said spacesbetween said plates in said slots of said first and second frame barsrespectively for control of said first and second series of slidersrespectively, first and second lever mounting means for said first andsecond series of electro-magnets respectively, and rotary cam means foroperating said first and second lever means.

2. A machine having in combination, a needle bar, a series of needlesfrictionally mounted in said needle bar, a series of needle butts onsaid needles, a sinker bar, a series of sinkers in said sinker bar, aseries of needle control sliders in said sinker bar, a series of slidercontrolling droppers, a series of dropper butts on said droppers, firstand second channel forming frame bars, first and second series ofselecting sliders in said first and second frame bars for control ofsaid needle butts and dropper butts respectively, first and secondseries of electric programme controlled electro-magnets in said firstand second frame bars respectively for control of said first and secondseries of sliders respectively, said selecting sliders having butts andsaid butts having enlarge ments for engagements by said electro-magnets,first and second lever mounting means for said first and second seriesof electro-magnets respectively, and rotary cam means for operating saidfirst and second lever means.

3. A machine having in combination, a needle bar, a series of needlesfrictionally mounted in said needle bar, a series of needle butts onsaid needles, a sinker bar, a series of sinkers in said sinker bar, aseries of needle control sliders in said sinker bar, a series of slidercontrolling droppers, a series of dropper butts on said droppets, firstand second channel forming frame bars, first and second series ofselecting sliders in said first and second frame bars for control ofsaid needle butts and dropper butts respectively, said first frame barcompris ing a lower channel bar, an inverted upper channel bar, and anintermediate bar, with said needle control sliders disposed in a lowerrow between said lower channel bar and said intermediate bar, and anupper row between said intermediate bar and said upper inverted channelbar, said lower row of sliders having depending butts, said upper row ofsliders having upstanding butts, first and second series of electricprogramme controlled electro-magnets in said first and second frame barsrespectively for control of said first and second series of slidersrespectively, said electro-magnets being disposed in a lower rowregistering'with said depending butts and an upper row registering withsaid upstanding butts, said butts being of various lengths and saidelectro-magnets being staggered, first and second lever mounting meansfor said first and second series of electro-magnets respectively androtary cam means for operating said first and second lever means.

4. A knitting machine having in combination, a needle bar, a series ofneedles frictionally mounted in said needle bar, a series of needlebutts on said needles, a sinker bar, a series of sinkers in said sinkerbar, a series of needle control sliders in said sinker bar, a series ofslider controlling droppers, a series of dropper butts on said droppers,first and second stationary slotted guide bars, first and second channelforming frame bar means forming first and second pairs of channels,first and second series of selecting sliders mounted in said stationaryslotted guide bars respectively in positions for control of said needlebutts and dropper butts respectively, first and second series ofelectric programme controlled electro-magnets mounted in said first andsecond pairs of channels respectively in positions for control of saidfirst and second series of sliders respectively, first and second levermounting means for said first and second series of electro-magnetsrespectively, and rotary cam means for operating said first and secondlever means.

5. A knitting machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said firststationary slotted guide bar is of hollow form comprising a lowerchannel bar, an inverted upper channel bar, and an intermediate bar,with said needle butt selecting sliders disposed in a lower row of slotsbetween said lower channel bar and said intermediate bar, and an upperrow in slots between said intermediate bar, and said upper invertedchannel bar, said lower row of sliders having depending butts, saidupper row of sliders having upstanding butts, said first channel formingframe bar comprises an upper channel part in said upper channel bar anda lower channel part in said lower channel bar and electro-magnets beingdisposed in said lower channel part registering with said dependingbutts and in said upper channel registering with said upstanding butts,said butts being of various lengths and said electromagnets beingstaggered.

6. A knitting machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said secondstationary slotted guide bar has underside slots in which said dropperbutt selecting sliders are disposed, said second channel forming framebar is disposed under said sliders and comprises an upper channel partand a lower channel part, upper and lower rows of electro-magnets aredisposed in said upper and lower channel parts and said dropper buttselecting sliders have short and long butts depending to locationsopposite said upper and lower rows of electro-magnets respectively.

7. A knitting machine having in combination, a movable slotted bar, aseries of like instruments frictionally mounted in said slotted bar, aseries of instrument butts on said instruments, a stationary slottedguide bar, a series of selecting sliders mounted in said stationaryslotted guide bar in positions for control of said instrument butts, camoperating means for operating said series of selecting sliders, andmeans for selecting said selecting sliders for selective operationcomprising upper and lower channel forming frame bar means connected tosaid cam operating means and having upper, lower and intermediate barseach having a series of slots and forming upper and lower channelsadjacent each other, spaced plates in said channels disposed with upperand lower edges thereof in said slots with narrow spaces between them,upper and lower rows of electro-magnets disposed in said spaces betweensaid plates in said upper and lower channels respectively, and twoseries of slider butts on said selecting sliders directed towards saidupper and lower rows of electro-magnets respectively, whereby saidelectro-magnets are mounted for movement to move said sliders throughmagnetic contact and in a small space.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,398,554 8/1968 Start et al 6696XR 3,370,443 2/1968 Bentley et 211. 1,571,765 2/1926 Fels. 2,075,1393/1937 Scheller. 2,157,989 5/1939 Lawson 6675 3,248,901 5/1966 Woodcocket al. 665 3,262,285 7/1966 Beguin et a1. 3,318,110 5/1967 Monk et a1.3,292,395 12/1966 Bentley et al 66154 FOREIGN PATENTS 406,181 2/1934Great Britain. 883,432 11/1961 Great Britain.

WM. CARTER REYNOLDS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 6696, 102

